Environmental Impact Assessment for
Armenia's Proposed Nuclear Power Plant
Presented by:
Lief Erickson
DCOP of USAID Energy Security and Regional Integration Project
Yerevan, November 08, 2012
In cooperation with
Aram Gevorgyan, Head
Atomic Energy Department, RoA Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
Who Am I?
International Experience
• International Nuclear Safety from1997-2001
– Quality Assurance
– Event Analysis Reporting and Lessons Learned
– Startup of Nuclear Power Plant Operational Support Institute
• Licensing Consultant for Chornobyl Shelter since 2001
– Assistance to the nuclear regulatory authority of Ukraine in review of Chornobyl Shelter
Projects
• Assistance to the Energy Sector of Armenia since 2007
– Lead Author of the Environmental Background Information Document for the new
nuclear project in Armenia
– Contributor to the Initial Planning Study for the new nuclear project
– Deputy Chief of Party of the Energy Security and Regional Integration (ESRI) project
– Assistance to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in collection and
organization of data for the Armenia New Nuclear Unit Environmental Report
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USAID Energy Security and Regional Integration Project
• The ESRI “New Nuclear Plant Development” task is to
provide independent expert services to support the GoA
in: assuring that the new nuclear unit meets international
safety and environmental standards; in enhancing the
human and institutional capacity to implement the project;
and in maximizing the contribution of the project to
Armenia’s economic growth and development
• ESRI also has tasks to improve the enabling environment
for development of renewable energy in Armenia and to
support Armenia’s integration into regional energy
systems and markets
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Armenia New Nuclear Unit (ANNU) – Project Milestones
– 1 November 2007 – GoA Resolution № 1296 adopted the 2006 Least Cost
Generation Plan (LCGP) as consistent with its energy strategy
• The 2006 LCGP concluded that a new nuclear unit was least cost option for
replacement of Armenia Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2 when it reaches the end
of its design life in 2016
– October 27, 2009 – RoA Law “On Construction of New Nuclear Energy Unit(s) in
the Republic of Armenia” directed development of new nuclear unit(s) with total
capacity up to 1200 MW
– December 2009 – CJSC “METSAMORENERGOATOM” established to function as
developer of the ANNU
– July 26, 2010 – Notification to the Ministry of Nature Protection under the Law on
EIA
– August 24, 2010 – Public hearing on the notification held in Armavir Marzpetaran
– August 27, 2010 – Notification sent to the Secretary of the Espoo Convention
– September 1, 2010 – Notification sent by Espoo Secretary to representatives of
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and the Islamic Republic of Iran
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ANNU Project Milestones - continued
– March 21, 2011 – ANNU Environmental Report (Rev. 0) submitted to the Ministry
of Nature Protection
– May 17, 2011 – Public Hearing in Armavir Marz
– May 24, 2011 – Public Hearing in Gyumri, Shirak Marz
– July 21, 2011, August 3, 2011 and August 19, 2011 – Comments and opinions
on the ANNU ER provided by Environmental Expertise SNCO
– September 14, 2011 – Responses to comments and opinions submitted to
Environmental Expertise SNCO
– December 20, 2011 – Head of Staff of the Ministry of Nature Protection provided a
letter summarizing the Ministry of Nature Protection’s consideration of the ANNU
ER with attached objections from a professional conclusion
– November 2012 – The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources posts on their
website Revision 1 of the ANNU ER
(http://www.minenergy.am/en/en/atomhashvetvut) documenting: transcripts of the
public hearings and responses to issues raised; responses to issues identified by
the Ministry of Nature Protection; updates of environmental data related to water
uses; and a summary of the Seismic Hazard Analysis for the ANNU site.
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Environmental Impact Assessment in Armenia
RoA Law on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), November 1995
– Nuclear power facilities require an EIA
– Notification is submitted to the Ministry of Nature Protection and Public of
project requiring EIA
– First Public Hearing on the Notification of intent to build project
– Submittal of environmental documentation by the Developer to the Ministry
of Nature Protection
– Second Public Hearing on the environmental documentation
– Ministry of Nature Protection organizes Expertise review of environmental
documentation and receives Expertise Conclusion from experts
– Third Public Hearing on the Expertise Conclusion
– Ministry of Nature Protection makes decision on the issuance of
assessment conclusion (EIA) and issues conclusion to developer and the
GoA
– The Government of Armenia approves the EIA
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Internat’l Conventions and Standards Applicable to EIA
– United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary
Context (Espoo, 1991)
• Establishes an EIA procedure that provides for notification of concerned parties and
public participation and consultation of affected parties
• Armenia and Azerbaijan are parties to Espoo
– UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in
Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters
(Aarhus, 1998) – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan are parties
– Convention on Nuclear Safety, (Vienna, 1994) – Armenia is a party
– IAEA Safety Requirements, Standards and Guidelines
– Policies and Procedures of International Financing Organizations:
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Export Import Banks of the US, Canada, and the EU
World Bank
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Asian Development Bank
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Information Needed for EIA of Large Power Project
– Information on the existing environment at the Project location – ESRI
collected information with the assistance of the Ministry of Energy and Natural
Resources and information available from public sources – libraries and
Internet:
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•
•
•
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Meteorology and Air Quality
Land Use and Socio-economic conditions in the Project location, vicinity and region
Water availability to serve Project needs
Ecological Conditions in the Project location and vicinity
Geology of the Project site and vicinity
– Description of the Project – ESRI relied on information provided by the
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources; where key parameters were not
defined, ESRI developed bounding plant parameters that should maximize
potential environmental impacts relative to possible design decisions
– Environmental Impacts of Project Construction – ESRI tabulated impacts
based on information provided by the Ministry of Energy and Natural
Resources and on impacts based on generic studies and environmental
impact statements developed for NRC licensing of plants in the US
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Information Needed for EIA … (continued)
– Environmental Impact of Project Operation – ESRI tabulated impacts
based on information provided by the Ministry of Energy and Natural
Resources and generic impacts based on studies and environmental impact
statements developed for NRC licensing of plants in the US – bounding plant
parameter approach enabled prediction of impacts without final design details
– Environmental Monitoring Programs – ESRI described monitoring
programs needed to complete design, to monitor impacts of construction, to
establish baselines for impacts of operation, and to monitor impacts of
operation
– Impacts of Accidents at the Project Involving Radioactive Materials (topic
unique to nuclear projects) – ESRI tabulated impacts based on information
provided by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
– Alternatives to the Proposed Action – ESRI summarized alternatives
evaluated in the 2006 Least Cost Generation Plan
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Ministry of Nature Protection Position on the ANNU ER
The Ministry of Nature Protection letter of December 20, 2011 to CJSC
“METSAMORENERGOATOM” stated:
– After getting responses to issued raised during the Environmental Expertise ,
the corresponding authorities and bodies provided in general positive opinions
– Numerous project solutions that may have a potential environmental impact
require additional study, some equipment is not chosen yet, and some of the
assessments are not final
– At the next stage of the project it is necessary to consider the
recommendations, as well as to provide the final technical and technological
solutions together with the impact assessments, required measures and their
justifications
– The RoA Ministry of Nature Protection does not have any principle objection
towards the ANNU ER
– The final expertise conclusion on the ER will be provided upon submission of
the final version of the ER to the Ministry of Nature Protection for
environmental impact expertise
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Current Status
– The Ministry of Energy, based on recommendations of their consultant Worley
Parsons, selected AtomStroyExport model AES-92 VVER-1000 for the ANNU
– The Russian Federation has pledged to fund manufacture and construction of
the ANNU “Nuclear Island” – estimated to be up to 20% of project cost
– GoA plans to involve additional investors for the remaining project costs
– It is not possible to have the ANNU operational before expiration of the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, Unit 2, design life in 2016
– The GoA has decided to extend the lifetime of Unit 2 up to ten years, or until
the ANNU is operational
– The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has initiated activities to
prepare a new Least Cost Generation Plan considering current predictions for
electrical demand in Armenia, revised predictions of prices for import of
natural gas, electricity import and export potential, and alternatives to
replacement of ANPP generation capacity
– If the proposed 1000 MW ANNU is to be built, the ANNU ER must be
completed with final design details on the plant and submitted to MoNP
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Moving Forward
Key Issues
– Water
• Selection of cooling technologies for the ANNU
• Competing water users and water allocations by Water Management
Agency
• Improving irrigation technologies
– Radioactive Material Dispersion Predictions
• Representative data on meteorological conditions at the site
• Radioactive source terms for releases during accidents and normal
operations
– Transport of Heavy Equipment and Components
• Very large and heavy equipment will require upgrade of transport routes
– Export Potential for excess generation
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QUESTIONS
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THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO
YOU THIS EVENING
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